


You reminded me of you

by VanessaWolfie



Category: Glee
Genre: Community: kbl-reversebang, Happy Ending, M/M, Portals, Two worlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 07:50:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/884800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanessaWolfie/pseuds/VanessaWolfie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine got into NYADA, but life wasn't exactly like he planned it. Kurt had asked for space, so he gave him space; then, he started to avoid him. Suddenly, Blaine meets a boy. A boy who reminds him of Kurt, a boy who needs help finding his place and a boy who will help Blaine find his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You reminded me of you

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for this [ drawing. Thanks mizu for the great art.](http://mizuirokandeya.tumblr.com/post/55524659765/posting-this-a-second-time-for-the-klaine)

“Are you coming tonight?” Sean asked. 

They were walking out of class and Blaine slowed down so they could talk more easily. 

“To the party at Natalie’s dorm? No, I have better things to do with my life than to forget an evening and wake up confused in Nat’s bed, especially since it’ll probably not just be with her. I have this paper that’s due Monday anyway,” Blaine replied, knowing exactly what response he’d be getting. 

“That’s a poor excuse, Anderson, and you know it. But I’ve tried to make you see the light and I’m finally coming to terms with it; you’re not going to get over this Kurt guy until he gives you some kind of public smackdown. Maybe if he got married, you’d actually get a life,” Sean said and while most people would think he was being mean, Blaine appreciated the sarcasm. Also, you couldn’t really blame Sean, he’d spent all last semester trying to get Blaine laid, or really just pimp him out and it hadn’t worked. 

“You’ll understand when you grow up and fall in love, Sean,” Blaine said with a mocking tone; they’d been through this conversation so often it was like a private joke. Sometimes they’d skip some of it, so it’d just be “Kurt”, “You’ll understand” and then they’d burst out laughing. 

“Well, you have fun with your right hand and your theatre music and I’ll go party,” Sean concluded and with that he walked away with a wave back at Blaine. 

Blaine laughed and kept walking at a slow pace to his room. He wasn’t really in a hurry to get there. 

*  
Blaine was lying in bed, reading a book when his phone beeped beside him.

[From Nat :* 17:50]: _I thought we talked about this Anderson_  
[To Nat :* 17:51]: We did. We agreed that it was much better to have someone to get you out of bed and to get some food than waking up with my foot in your boob.  
[From Nat :* 17:53]: _Well, I changed my mind. You warm the bed up nice._

Blaine laughed at the last one and was almost tempted to go to the party just to remind Natalie how bad it could end. Sometimes he did, but he just did not want to end today in bed with two girls. 

[To Nat :* 17:57]: I’ll buy you a hot-water bottle to warm it up for you instead. I’m skipping tonight. I’ll be there at noon to take you out to eat. Looking forward to it.

Blaine threw the phone back on the bed, sure that would be the end of it. He hadn’t read one paragraph when his phone beeped again. 

[From Nat :* 17:59]: _You’re a strange specimen indeed Mr. Anderson. The prospect of a party doesn’t appeal to you, but you’re eager to come and wake up people with hangovers. Anyway, have fun with your right hand tonight._  
[To Nat :* 18:00]: You and Sean need new material, he said the same.  
[From Nat :* 18:01]: _We just know you too well ;)_

*  
When Blaine went to bed that night, it took him awhile to fall asleep. He spent a lot of time trying to find the right position to sleep in, but it just didn’t work. It was at times like these that made Blaine wish he and Kurt were still together. What he wouldn’t give for having Kurt in his arms right now, or beside him. Then he’d at least been able to watch Kurt, no matter if he’d been restless and couldn’t go to sleep. Kurt always looked like an angel when he slept. 

In the end, Blaine just lay on his back, staring at the ceiling and trying hard not to think about anything. As his mind wandered from one thing to another without pause, he suddenly started seeing this weird shade on the ceiling. It was like a fog in one spot, but that didn’t make sense. He must be getting tired, finally. With those thoughts, Blaine drifted off. 

*  
Blaine woke the next morning to find that the fog hadn’t been a hallucination. It wasn’t really a fog even, it was about a foot wide and in the shape of a circle. There were ripples in it and what had appeared to be fog to him last night was like a vortex of some sorts. The nerd in Blaine told him it looked like a portal. He tried standing on a footboard beside his bed and touch it, but nothing really happened. Blaine wasn’t really sure what to do, or what it could be, but something told him not to be alarmed. Maybe it was a good thing. 

He decided to stop wondering for a little while and get Natalie out to breakfast instead. It was like a tradition for them: Blaine got up, dressed with precision, gelled his hair and went out to get them the good kind of coffee. Then he’d brace himself and went into Natalie’s room. Sometimes there’d be a girl there, or seldom, a boy and they’d scurry out as soon as he was spotted and Natalie would smile at him with gratitude. 

Today there was a short blonde trying to find her bra when Blaine walked in. He put the coffee down calmly and picked it up from where it was lying under Nat’s desk and handed it over to the girl who accepted it with a sheepish look on her face. Blaine turned as the girl finished putting her clothes on. 

“Tell her I had a nice time,” was the only thing she said before getting the hell out. 

Blaine only sighed and then turned to the bed where Natalie was still lying, dead to the world. 

“Nat, hey, it’s breakfast time.”

Nat pushed off her sheets with one swift kick and Blaine would’ve gotten an eyeful if he hadn’t already turned; seeing Nat’s breasts once like that had been enough. He knew how this went by now. 

“Get me some clothes, something that doesn’t make me look like a hobo, but requires no fancy posture or any shit like that. I know it hurts your inner gay, but do this for Nat,” Natalie said, her voice low and in no way alike the power-singer voice that usually defined her. 

Blaine had already started gathering clothes for her and then threw them onto the bed behind him, all without looking at the bed. 

“I still don’t get why you always turn away. It’s not like you haven’t seen it already,” Nat said with a teasing tone.

“Yes, and those times have been enough thank you very much,” Blaine shot back. 

“You don’t seem to mind when you’re drunk,” she murmured and then came up to hug him from behind. She’d finally put on the clothes and reached for her coffee with one hand as she held onto him tightly with the other. 

“I don’t mind a lot of things when I’m drunk and I seem to be cursed to do things I’d never think about doing sober,” Blaine replied.

“Well, that’s the fun of it,” Nat said and Blaine was sure he could feel the smirk, even if he couldn’t see it. “Are you going to take me out to eat or did you really just come in here to wake me?” 

“We’re going out. Full on greasy burger.”

*  
They were almost done with their food before any talking really began. Talking to Nat while she was eating was like trying to take a prey from a lion; you just didn’t. 

“So, I thought you didn’t do short?” Blaine teased as they picked on their fries. 

Nat only smiled before replying, “I don’t do short _guys,_ honey. Short girls on the other hand are a different category altogether. Besides, did you see her tits? So perky I thought I would die last night seeing her dance. Why, are you jealous? Oh, I knew you were secretly in love with me.” That last sentence was said in a girlish voice and it sounded alien coming from Natalie. 

“No, as you point out, every chance you get, I’m as gay as they come. I just wondered, that girl was so short she almost didn’t reach my chin, ” Blaine explained. 

Natalie just nodded and mouthed ‘tits’ like that solved everything. And maybe it kind of did where Natalie was concerned. 

“Now, what was so exciting that you had to bail on a party, my party to be exact, to do?” Nat asked and Blaine sighed. 

“I told you, I was just not in the mood.”

“Yes, and that would’ve been a problem had I been planning to fuck you, but we’ve long since established that that’s not going to happen.”

“I didn’t go, I stayed in my room, did some homework and then spent an hour trying to go to sleep. Also, I think there’s a portal in my room,” Blaine said annoyed. He didn’t really think about what he was saying, he just wanted Nat off his case. 

“There’s a what in your room now?” Nat asked, surprised. 

“When I fell asleep last night, there was this foggy thing on my ceiling. I thought it was just the beginnings of a dream but when I woke up, it was still there. And unless someones been slipping me drugs in my coffee, it looks like some sort of portal.”

“Blaine, what on earth are you talking about? A portal?!” Nat asked incredulous. 

“Well, I have no idea if it leads somewhere, but it looks like a portal,” Blaine responded. 

Natalie just looked at him, first shocked, then curious, then determined. 

“This I’ve got to see.”

*  
“It’s bigger now. Also, it was a lot ... grayer this morning,” Blaine said as he closed the door behind them. 

Nat didn’t say anything back, but strode straight to the end of Blaine’s room and stood to try and poke at the little vortex. 

“You have yourself a little mystery, Anderson. I have no fucking clue what that is,” Natalie stated, as if Blaine had thought she’d solve it all. 

“I know, I’m not sure what to do, report it to the school or what?” 

“I think, in the spirit of adventure, that you should wait it out and see what happens. I mean, get out before it swallows you whole, no question about that, but it might be interesting to see if it’s a portal of some sort. Just, proceed with caution,” Nat said. 

This was what Blaine loved about their friendship. Nat got him and she loved adventure/sci-fi just as much as he did. 

“Maybe it’ll be something good, something you never knew you needed. But in any case, if that is a portal, the first thing you’re going to do is tell me. Don’t even think before you text, just do. I want to see this unfold.” 

*

Two days later, Blaine woke up to see the vortex was now a lot bigger and it kept changing colors. Blaine got up and threw on the clothes he’d already picked out the night before. Before he finished, he found that he couldn’t wait any longer and got up on the footboard and poked the vortex and looked inside. He was surprised when he saw a bed through it. On the bed, sitting was ... no it couldn’t be, Blaine thought. 

It looked like Kurt and after a few minutes of blatant staring, Blaine was pretty sure it was Kurt, but it couldn’t be. First, Kurt wouldn’t dress in so understated clothes even if you paid him in jewels. The boy on the bed was dressed like, well maybe Jake Puckerman on a good day. Classy, definitely good looking, but still, understated colors and on Kurt it looked like an easy way out. Like he’d just woken up and thrown on whatever was comfortable. Blaine almost fell off the footboard when he realized this. 

It just wasn’t like Kurt, not just the clothes, which would probably be enough of a clue, but this boy also sat defeated in a way that Blaine hadn’t seen on Kurt since... well, maybe since the Karofsky deal. He was almost this defeated for moments during his transfer; when he was disappointed in himself for giving up, when he was telling Blaine how he just couldn’t take it there anymore; he just wasn’t safe. This Kurt looked like he hadn’t been safe for a while. It bothered Blaine and he had a sneaking suspicion of what this was. 

While Blaine was figuring this out, the boy, this Kurt, hadn’t really moved at all. He just sat there, no posture, no pride, just defeat. Blaine finally decided to try something and picked up his phone. First he quickly sent one message to Natalie. 

[To Nat :* 07:45]: It’s something. COME!

Then, he chanced a call to Kurt. He thought he could see a phone on his nightstand and he figured that if he didn’t pick up on the first ring, Blaine would hang up. He would be able to see if that phone was ringing. 

So he called. He waited for the call to connect and then when the first beep sounded in his ear, he watched the nightstand with vigilant eyes but nothing happened. His fingers were pressing ‘end call’ before he could really think, because the last thing he needed right now was to explain to his world Kurt why he was calling him before eight on a Monday morning. He’s got enough problems with the other world Kurt. If these are different worlds, he’s not sure, maybe it’s dimensions or something. He really needs to freshen up on his mythology. 

Then the door slammed open, Nat bursting into the room. There was no other way to describe it, with a bang that was certainly going to evoke reaction from his dorm neighbor who Blaine knew for a fact got to sleep in on Monday mornings and took great pleasure in doing so. 

“So what’s the deal? What is it? Did you wait? Is it really a portal? Are we going to die?” she rushed out and Blaine thanked heavens he’d been friends with Rachel Berry, boyfriend to enthusiastic Kurt Hummel and more importantly, friends with Natalie Price since the beginning of the school year at NYADA so he could understand what she was saying. 

“I don’t know what it is, I’m 99 percent sure we’re not going to die and Kurt’s sitting on a bed there,” Blaine explained rather calmly, but the last part was said with a desperate tone, because he honestly didn’t know what to do with that information. 

“Kurt?” Nat questioned before stepping up on the footboard with Blaine, looking through the portal. 

“I mean, not Kurt Kurt, but that’s still Kurt. He looks so different, but I still remember that Kurt. Or someone who looked a lot like him, I don’t know, this is creeping me out,” Blaine tried to explain, but words kept failing him. He had it mostly figured out in his head, but explaining it was like this untangling this big complicated knot. 

He jumped off the footboard and landed with almost a dance spin, just trying to get rid of some of the energy.

“So, it’s basically like Vampire-Willow in Buffy? Another dimension, another world? And this Kurt, although he is Kurt, is not like your Kurt?” Natalie summed up and Blaine wanted to cry. He threw himself onto his back on the bed, before sighing and nodding. 

Blaine didn’t know how this girl understood him so well, it was like she had access to his brain. He could’ve tried to explain for half an hour and he’d never put it in so few words and still have the meaning come through. 

“Are you psychic? That’s exactly sort of what I think is happening. I don’t know what it is, but that Kurt, he’s not safe and he’s not happy and he certainly doesn’t dress as my Kurt does, for whatever reason,” Blaine rambled on, his tone worried and he looked up at Natalie, who was now just sitting on the bed beside him, looking sympathetic. “it feels weird to say ‘my Kurt’ he’s not mine anymore, but he’s certainly more mine than that boy on that bed.”

Nat just nodded and stroked his forehead. Blaine sighed again and curled up closer to her. “I want to be sick today. Can I blow off my classes?” He didn’t need Nat’s permission and he knew he’d regret it later on, but really all he wanted was to figure this out, because right now he could not concentrate. 

“Of course you can, sweetie, I’m going to stay here and help you. Even if that means just sitting here for the next hour,” she said with a small smile and in an equally small voice. 

Blaine closed his eyes gratefully and snuggled in with his head in Natalie’s lap. “We’re going to do more than just sit here. We have to figure this out, but for now, for a few minutes, I just want life to be simple. Just before I have to deal with maybe having two Kurt’s in my life.” 

Nat only kept stroking his sides, his cheek, always one hand going through his hair, which was, surprisingly, not in it’s usual confined gelled state. 

*  
It wasn’t until half an hour later that Blaine finally felt calm enough to even talk. He was so glad that Nat had found out shortly after they got to know each other that he needed to slow things down sometimes. Just so they didn’t get out of hand. 

“What am I going to do?” Blaine asked. He felt like a little kid and he didn’t even feel ashamed, because really, who had faced this sort of thing before? 

“Well, as I see it, you have two choices right now; you can try to forget all about this, maybe staple a carpet to the ceiling or something, or you can try to get through that and figure out if you can help this other Kurt,” Nat said, like it was that easy. Maybe it was. “Also, maybe this is just what you need, some woobie-like-Kurt to love.”

Blaine grimaced. He liked the idea of helping Kurt, whoever that Kurt may be, but he didn’t like the idea of loving anyone other than his Kurt. His Kurt that he’d spent years knowing. His Kurt that he’d lost, hurt, but was still hoping to get back. “If I’m doing this, I’m not going to do it to fall in love with that Kurt. I just want to help.” 

“I’m just kidding with you, Anderson, it’s about time you cheer up a little, maybe let out one laugh, just for me?” and without further ado, Natalie began to tickle his sides. He squirmed and laughed before inching away from her grasp. 

“That’s mean,” he gasped, but he was still laughing. 

“No it’s not, you feel better,” she said, so sure of herself that Blaine couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you going to go? See if your help is needed?” 

Blaine decided that finishing getting ready could help his case a lot. He still had to gel his hair and put on some shoes. 

After that, he turned to Nat. “Don’t you want to get to class? I’m not sure you should come with me, because my Kurt got a heart attack when he first met you and this one looks much more innocent,” he said with a smirk. 

“I know, that boy probably couldn’t take all of me right now. I’m not going to leave though, not until you give me some kind of sign that you’re okay on the other side of that thing,” she insisted and Blaine found it endearing how much she looked like a hen mother in that moment; ready to protect him through everything. 

Blaine almost climbed back up on the footboard, before he realized: “How the hell am I going to get up there?” 

“I’ll lift you,” Nat said and shot him a look when he just stared at her incredulously. “I’m a dancer. I’m fully capable of giving you a hand to get up there.”

Blaine just raised his hands in surrender, he did not want to piss Natalie off right now. She situated herself on the footboard, watching that she had enough balance, before nodding to Blaine. He stepped on her outstretched hands and grabbed her shoulder for balance. She lifted him and pushed under his foot so he could reach through the vortex. It was a strange experience, to be trapped in the vortex, one half in his own world and the other in another. Then, a second too late, he realized that things were upside down here and he shouted, “Watch out!” before letting himself fall on the bed beneath him.  
*

Blaine was pretty sure he got knocked unconscious for a minute there. When he opened his eyes, he was lying flat on his back on the bed, his head a bit sore and one arm a little bent under his body. He winced as he brought his hand up to his chest, rubbing until the circulation returned. 

“Who are you?” he heard, the voice so unique that Blaine would recognize it anywhere, but he tried to curb his response; running to hug this Kurt would be even more disastrous than hugging his Kurt. 

“Kurt, I know this is really weird, but please let me explain,” he started, cursing himself and Natalie; they should’ve practiced what to say to Kurt. 

“I should let you explain how you fell through my ceiling, without any apparent damage to either you or the ceiling and how in the hell you know my name?!” Kurt practically shouted. He was shaking, backed into one corner of the room and looking like a scared animal that was still trying to look intimidating. “Why should I do that?” 

Blaine found Kurt’s behavior oddly comforting, because he was pretty sure this was how his Kurt would respond to this situation. Then he started wondering how the hell he should explain this to this scared, closed-off version of Kurt and he felt his palms start to sweat. He looked around the room, taking everything into account; how the vortex wasn’t see-through from here, but looked like this smoke in the ceiling.

“Please, just, can you sit down and listen? I’m not entirely sure how to explain this,” Blaine said, worried. “I came through some kind of vortex that looks like smoke there on your ceiling. I think these are two different, but fairly parallel worlds. And I’m pretty sure no part of this will make sense if you have no interest in sci-fi.” 

The air was filled with tension as Blaine waited for a long minute until Kurt finally nodded, letting Blaine continue. 

“In my world, I know a Kurt. I know a Kurt that looks just like you, who has the same eyes, the same mouth, the same everything.” Blaine started and the last word came out as a sigh. 

“You know me? But, how does that work? If the worlds are parallel, shouldn’t I know you in this world as well?” Kurt asked, more interested now than five minutes ago. 

“Well, I think this is like a what-if universe. Something must have happen here, or not happened that changed the way of, well the way of destiny,” Blaine said, still unsure of how to explain something that he didn’t understand. “I think I can’t really explain it. Maybe you should just think of me as a friend of a friend. I know some things about you, but you don’t know anything about me. Let’s just start this again?” he said, finally coming up with _something_ that Kurt might take well.

Kurt didn’t really respond, but his posture loosened just a little bit, so Blaine continued.

“Hi, I’m Blaine, you must be Kurt,” he said, cheerful, if a bit nervous.

“Yeah, I’m Kurt.”

*

“So, I think I’m starting to understand how we can be friends. You’re actually, quite, well, I don’t know; I’ve never met someone like you,” Kurt said. They’d gone out, to Kurt’s chosen coffee shop and talked. Blaine had noticed that it was a 15 minute, complicated walk away from Kurt’s dorm. It kind of reminded Blaine of their first coffee shop talks. Getting to know Kurt all over again was like a treat for Christmas.

Blaine smiled at Kurt’s words. He was pretty sure he knew what else was hidden in that sentence. His Kurt had been so amazed when they met for the first time. Another out and proud gay kid in Ohio --and popular to boot-- seemed to blow Kurt’s mind away. This one was a little older and controlled his excitement better, plus Blaine was sure he’d met gay guys by now, he just might have disliked them. 

“You’re different here,” Blaine blurted out when his coffee cup was drained and Kurt was taking his last sip. Kurt only looked at him puzzled, clearly waiting for him to clarify so he did. “I mean, the Kurt that I know, he’s not like you. The two of you have different histories and memories which means you have had different experiences,” Blaine tried to explain, but it was hard. 

He kept thinking about how much more spooked this Kurt seemed. It reminded Blaine how he himself had been after being attacked after Sadie Hawkins. He’d been listening carefully and to him, there were a few big things different in this world. Finn and Rachel had broken it off when Rachel left McKinley a year early to go to some theatre program and after that, Finn had gotten more into football and again distant from Kurt. The bullying hadn’t stopped and to Blaine it seemed like it had only gotten worse. Kurt dropping every single dream of his because of lack of confidence and just picking a college in Ohio, it seemed so unlike him that it made Blaine worry. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Kurt so... withdrawn.

Kurt looked like he was figuring out whether to be offended or not. “I think I could understand that. I often think about how different I’d be if I’d have gone to school where I wanted to and if... oh hear me whining, if I, if I, if I. Like that matters now.” 

“I think it matters,” Blaine said, unable to help himself. He couldn’t imagine if a world didn’t have one Kurt Hummel at his best. At that moment, he decided what he was here for; to help Kurt Hummel get his dreams back. 

*****

“Nat, he was totally different. It wasn’t even hard to remember the difference, because he’s just _that_ different. It’s like, the way he sits, the way he talks, the way he walks, everything, it’s all different,” Blaine rambled on, like he had been ever since Natalie stepped into the room. 

“So, basically what you’re saying is that you’re not in love with this Kurt?” Nat asked, so blunt that even though it was her, Blaine was surprised. 

He blushed while he thought about it. “No, I mean, he’s still Kurt, he’s still the boy I loved at first sight, but I’m not _in love_ with this one. It’s more like he’s my boyfriend’s little brother. I love him, I want to protect him and I care about his wellbeing more than mine, but no, there’s no spark; not like it used to.” 

Natalie just smirked and nodded. Blaine felt so good, his heart more clear than it had been in over a year. He’d found himself a project. Someone to open his whole heart to and help. 

****

“You’re obnoxious when you’re this cheerful. Is this what you’re like when you’re dating? Oh god I’m sorry I ever tried to set you up with someone. This is horrible,” Sean said, after he’d gotten the whole scope. 

Blaine just smiled and then he _skipped_ down the stairs. 

“You’re skipping Blaine. I’m not your friend anymore. I liked you better when you were slightly cynical and a lot more depressed. Your smile is blinding right now, you know?” 

Blaine forced himself to keep on smiling, just to spite Sean, and didn’t say a word. Sean just groaned. He was really happy, he liked having someone to help, and liked to think he’d be suited to help the other Kurt, even though a big part of him couldn’t help but get sad at the thought of all the bullying and everything Kurt had gone through. He couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened to himself if Dalton hadn’t been the safe house it’d been after Sadie Hawkins. 

****

“So, how do you know me exactly?” Kurt asked. He was sitting on his bed and Blaine on a desk chair by the foot of it. “I mean, the other me?” 

Blaine didn’t really want to answer that question. He could tell a white lie and say that they were acquaintances. It was pretty much true at the moment. The problem was Blaine doesn’t tell white lies. He’d rather just not say anything, but that’s not going to work with _Kurt_ there (and this time, he doesn’t need to clarify which one, because this applies to both).

“We, we dated for just over 20 months. Before that we were friends and now...” Blaine trailed off. He didn’t even know what they were now.

“So, we dated, but you didn’t think to mention that the first time you were here?” Kurt said, his voice going a bit higher with each word. 

“It’s not like it’s the most welcoming phrase in the world. ‘Hi, I’m Blaine, I’m your parallel-self’s ex-boyfriend. How do you do?’” Blaine said, a bit annoyed, because well, he didn’t really _think_ about it that way. 

“And lying to me was so much better?” Kurt yelled back. 

Blaine started to yell ‘I wasn’t lying’ when he realized that these kind of fights were never the way to go with Kurt. They’d just spend their energy yelling and then finally when they could yell anymore, they didn’t have energy to fix it. So instead of getting kicked out of this Kurt’s life as well, he just sat silent.

After a second, the fight seemed to drain out of Kurt. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t exactly given you much space to talk. It’s just, it’s nice, to have someone that wants to hear what I have to say. I’m used to people hating when I talk. Or just talking over me. Not just _listening_ like you do. It’s different and it takes some getting used to.” 

Here Kurt sighed and slumped on the bed. His posture was so much more _defeated_ here than in Blaine’s world. It freaked Blaine out half of the time, but right now, he was just glad that they’d gotten through that without a huge fight. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I didn’t really want it to color your view of me, the fact that you’ve broken up with me in one world. Plus, I don’t really, I didn’t want to give off the wrong impression; I’m not looking at you as a possible boyfriend. I’m looking to be your friend.”

*****

“I think I was rather too honest earlier,” Blaine commented, breaking the silence. -

“Huh? Too honest when?” Natalie asked, puzzled by the sudden confession. “Too honest to baby Kurt?” 

“Yes, and I asked you not to call him that. He’s not a baby in the slightest, he’s just …” Blaine trailed off. 

“He’s just ‘so adorable’ and ‘so vulnerable’ that you just want to cuddle him to death, no, that’s not how you describe a baby, no, not at all,” Natalie said smirking. “but, how were you too honest?” 

“He just, he reminds me so much of how Kurt was when we first met that I couldn’t help but set down the law; that I did not want to date him. It might have sounded a bit harsh.” 

“Oh Blaine. You’re horrible. Baby Kurt reminds you so much of Kurt; maybe that _should_ tell you to just reach out to your Kurt. It’s been _months,_ sweetie, it’s time. If he hasn’t forgiven you by now, he’s not going to,” Nat said, her voice so soft and gentle, because she knew her words had the potential to break Blaine’s heart. 

Blaine knew she was right of course, it was just that Kurt, his Kurt, could be scary. And the truth was that baby Kurt was much much safer to interact with. He wasn’t mad, betrayed and _hurt_ like his Kurt. He didn’t know.

*****  
“So, how is _your_ life going, Blaine? I never get to hear anything about what’s happening in your life. I don’t mean to be prying in on you or anything, but how are things going with the other Kurt and you? You said the two of you aren't dating anymore, that he dumped you, but you skipped the now part,” Kurt said as they sat on his bed, doing homework. 

Blaine felt the sweat run down his back, he was so nervous. Why did Kurt have to ask these questions? Having to tell the other Kurt, the one that didn’t know of his mistakes, how he’d screwed up, how he’d ruined everything. 

Kurt had waited a bit for an answer, before realizing that there wasn’t one coming. He slid a bit closer up to Blaine, grabbing his arm gently. 

“Hey, sorry, I really don’t need an answer, it’s none of my business anyway. I was just curious,” he said, his voice so soft that Blaine just wanted to lie down on the bed and curl up next to it. He missed that voice. He missed that gentleness of Kurt. It’s not like he’d gotten it since before Kurt left for NYADA. 

“It’s alright. I just, I don’t want to tell you this, it’s not like it’s anything I’m proud of. Kurt, you, well, you know who I mean, broke up with me, because,” here Blaine stopped, unsure he could bear to go on. “Because I cheated on him.” 

There was a long pause, so long that Blaine started feeling uncomfortable. He was sure that now he’d broken all bridges with this Kurt. Just as he started moving off the bed, planning to go back to his own world, never return, Kurt grabbed his arm again. It wasn’t as gentle this time, but Blaine knew the touch for what it was. _Wait._

“I’m, I’m not saying that’s something I am, or ever would be okay with, which I’m sure you’re well aware of,” Kurt started, making Blaine bow his head in shame. “The thing is though, it’s not me you cheated on and it’s clear that you regret it. I don’t think it’s my place to judge this time, Blaine. I think you don’t need two of me to punish you for one mistake.” 

Blaine was surprised. He couldn’t put it any differently, he was surprised. His own Kurt would not have responded this way, that he knew for sure. On the other hand, maybe he shouldn’t be surprised; this Kurt had gone through experiences his Kurt hadn’t. He’d had to hold back and think before he said and did. It was a nice change, but Blaine was still not sure he’d be willing to switch. 

*******  
 **Sean, please not now**

_Kurt? This is Blaine._

**Blaine. Oh, sorry. Just the last few times your number has come up on my phone, it’s been some kind of call from Sean.**

_I’m sorry. He’s too good at stealing my phone. I’m also sorry for anything he’s said, I’m sure it was all stupid._

**Maybe, it’s just stupid because it hasn’t been you.**

There was a long pause. Blaine didn’t really know what to say. He’d been telling himself that he was just giving Kurt the time he needed, but he’d also been kind of avoiding Kurt at all cost. 

_I’m..._

**Blaine Anderson, I will hang up this minute if you say you’re sorry. I’m so sick and tired of you saying you’re sorry.**

Blaine paused again. This was what was missing from ‘baby Kurt’; he wasn’t this …. aggressive. He was just a bit defensive, but that was always easier to handle for Blaine. Still, it was this Kurt he was in love with. This Kurt’s heart that he’d broken.

_Would you like to get coffee with me sometime soon? Somewhere off campus, so we can be uninterrupted?_

Without missing a beat, Kurt answered. 

**You know what, I’d love to. I’ll come by your dorm room after school tomorrow.**

_Thanks Kurt. See you then._

\--------

“I can’t believe you finally did it,” Sean said as he bursted into Natalie’s room later that day. 

Blaine couldn’t help but laugh. It was like a weight had been lifted of his chest and he hadn’t even met with Kurt yet. 

“Well, I did. But still, neither me nor Kurt appreciated the repeated phone calls from my phone to his, dialed by you. So, please back off my phone from now on?” Blaine asked, trying to be admonishing, but not really succeeding, given the grin plastered on his face. 

“He wouldn’t have needed to if you would’ve manned up a couple months ago instead of today. It’s our sacred duty as your best friends to call your ex and try and get you laid. It’s like written in the contract,” Natalie said with a similar grin. 

“So, what’s the deal, how’s it going to go down? Movie? Dinner? Lunch? Breakfast???” Sean asked, wiggling his eyebrows with the last guess. 

Blaine blushed and shook his head. 

“He’s picking me up for coffee tomorrow after school. I don’t know if he has decided what café we’re going to, or if I should, but he probably has and then it’s stupid if I have a suggestion as well, and-” 

“Blaine, shut the fuck up. Calm down and let the next 24 hours just pass like they normally do and deal with the café problem when it occurs,” Nat said, looking so serious it seemed out of place on her face. 

“I guess you’re right.”

*******

Blaine heard the knock on his door and he almost sprinted the whole 3 feet to the door. He took a deep breath before opening it, to reveal a much different looking Kurt than the one he’d been hanging out with the past few weeks. 

“Hi,” he said, smiling like he’d just seen the sun for the first time in months. It was true in all the ways it mattered. 

Kurt looked him up and down, and oh god had Blaine missed how Kurt assessed every outfit he wore, even though he did it quietly and didn’t always comment, Blaine always caught him looking. 

“Hi yourself. Are you going to stand there like a lion protecting its cave or are you going to let me in?” Kurt said, his face warm and open. It hadn’t been like that the last time they’d spoken. This was all so promising that Blaine took almost a minute to realize that Kurt had spoken. It wasn’t until Kurt’s eyebrow had risen almost to his hairline that Blaine came to again. 

“Sorry,” he started, but stopped when Kurt looked a bit disappointed at that word. “I mean, come in, please, just ignore my rudeness.” 

Kurt smiled at Blaine’s nervousness and walked inside. “Nice place. I can’t believe you got a single on your second semester. Rachel would’ve killed someone for a room like this so soon.” 

“That’s so true,” Blaine laughed. After a few minutes of almost awkward silence, Blaine grabbed his jacket, hoping that would push them outside. Another space might make them start talking. 

“Where are we going? I think you know the good places better than I do.” 

****

“So, I was kind of surprised you called.” 

“Well, the way I see it, you were hoping it was Sean. I’m sure you two have a torrid love affair,” Blaine said, his tone teasing. 

“Yeah, we’re so dirty that Rachel has moved out,” Kurt said, laughing loudly. “But, yeah, you probably don’t know, Rachel moved out a few days ago. She and her boyfriend are now ‘serious’ and got a tiny place together near the campus.” 

“So, basically, she moved out of huge place with you, the neatest guy on earth, to move into a tiny place with a straight guy who probably leaves the toilet seat up and cooks her meat every night?” Blaine stated, smiling. 

Kurt shrugged, with an ‘I know right?’ look on his face. God how Blaine missed his attitude, his looks. 

“But, don’t go changing the subject, I’m curious, why call now?” Kurt said, his tone more insistent now. 

“I met this guy a few weeks ago. He reminds me a lot of you, but the things I miss seeing everyday, the things I love, Kurt, were the things that were missing from him. So I called you.” 

Kurt hadn’t said anything while Blaine was speaking but his face had softened with each word. 

“I noticed, that was said in present tense. Is there something you’d like to tell me, Blaine?” 

Blaine looked straight into Kurt’s eyes, hoping that his point would drive straight through, without a shred of doubt. “I have always loved you, Kurt Hummel. Always. I made the biggest mistake in my life, but all through it, before and after, I loved you. I love how you touch me, even when it’s just a stroke of your hand to lead me the right way when we walk to a café. I love how you talk, how you smile and every single sappy thing you can think of right now, is true for me right now.” 

Kurt reached his hand out, over the small coffee table they sat at and grabbed Blaine’s. Ít sent an electric current up Blaine’s hand straight to his heart. “I’m glad, Blaine. I mean, in the time we’ve spent apart, I’ve longed for you too many times to ignore it. I love you too.”

******

“So, you’re back together with me now?” Kurt asked when Blaine finished his story. “I mean, the other me?” 

Blaine just smiled, unable to stop, nodding his head in answer. 

“It’s nice to see you this happy. Not like you were unhappy when you first came here, but it was like,” Kurt paused, trying to get his thought into words. “You were searching. That’s the word.”

“Well, that’s quite true you know. I found what I was looking for. Kurt.” Blaine thought it over. Ever since Kurt left for New York the first time, he’d been searching for something. That was why he went to see Eli, it was why he went to New York and sang Teenage Dream and it was why he’d found comfort in helping this Kurt. He’d been searching for Kurt’s affection. “But you know, I think you need to go looking for your passion. This isn’t you, Kurt, sitting in Ohio, going off campus for lunch and coffee, you need to get out of here.” 

Kurt’s face, that had been shining since Blaine told him the news, grew sober and serious. He didn’t answer straight away. It was like Blaine’s push had reached him and actually made him consider it. 

“You know, just so you don’t get too cocky, I have been thinking about this for a while now; since I met you. I want to go to NYADA, I was going to, but then Rachel left a year early to go to another school, because she thought she wouldn’t get in and I thought for sure I wouldn’t get in if she couldn’t.” 

Kurt stopped there, and when sure he wasn’t going to continue, Blaine did it for him. “But now, you’ve come to the conclusion that maybe you should try?” 

“Yes, try and succeed.”

******

**That fall**

Kurt was amazed. Never had he seen so many obviously gay people at the same time in the same place. No one was trying to hide it and no one cared. Here, there were no disgusting phrases thrown and certainly no locker slams. Here was home. 

He’d been at NYADA for exactly one hour and it was already the best hour in his life. He didn’t have to hide, not his clothes, not his attitude and not his hair. Guys even checked him out here. Like that guy, right around the corner, in a tight black polo and bright red jeans. Wait, didn’t he look a lot like, no, it couldn’t be. Blaine.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to me cheerleader and betas, Koffasupernova, Bleedy and hildigunnur, this is finished. Also, hopefully also good, not just finished. Comments are like a flame to keep me warm. Thanks for reading.


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